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This album of travel inspiration has been brought to you by Melanie @ Tough Love Travel!
Talk to Melanie at (609) 923-0304 or melanie@toughlovetravel.com.
Or visit her at www.ToughLoveTravel.com for "fun adventure to get your out of your box".

Monday, January 10, 2011

Island Dreaming... Zap me to JAMAICA!


Leave snowy NJ and be on the island beach by 9:30 that same morning! Jamaica calls!

Nestled on the western edge of the Caribbean, you get the sunshine-y days without the long and costly travel deal, and this island-- packing wild bobsledding alongside lazy beach days-- is very tempting! If you like Jerk Fish, forget it -- you must go now!

The recipe for this Island Quickie is:
*One direct flight on Air Jamaica (around $400) to Montego Bay on Jamaica's northern shore
*A 10-minute hop over to the lovely Half Moon Bay Resort... your home on Jamaica for 3 lush days!
You're there! Ready for your first rum punch yet?

Half Moon Bay, named after the crescent slip of sand which envelops it, starts with simple beachside bungalows for 2,










and goes up to large Villas, complete with staff and private pools, which house up to 4 couples as a group.
Private terrace for outdoor feasts!



















There are even Spa suites, exquisite luxury for a special romantic weekend or much-needed treat for yourself!
thats a massage table, right in your room!

And all of these choices come with simply impeccable service! The bellhops (one particularly charming gent had been there for over 40 years!) knew my name by the 2nd morning! The bartend welcomed patrons to his waterfront counter and offered them their favorite drink!









Half Moon Bay is posh without being pretentious, and excels in making each guest -- old timers and newcomers alike -- feel treasured.
Fun, fountained pools and a complete dive shop, plus a full-service golf course, complete your entertainment

Right there on property, there's an award-winning Spa with treatment rooms in unique, over-the-water spa bungalows! Just you, the table, towel, and masseuse, with shutters open to the wind and waves.



The Seagrape Terrace

Great meals await, from the al fresco terrace shaded by fragrant almond trees and overlooking the surf, to the storied Sugar Mill Restaurant, an historic structure on the island hillside surrounded by lush gardens, staffed by culinary wizards, and overseen by Soloman, a longtime fixture at Half Moon who'll ensure an elegant dining memory for you.





And if you want to get out and run around the island -- go straight to Ocho Rios, or 8 Rivers.

You can challenge yourself to a wild bobsled ride, or a zip line tour through the jungle canopy!

That's me on the zipline!



While you're out and about, stop at the iconic Scotchies for Jerk! You can choose between chicken, fish, or pork, and don't miss local favorites like breadfruit and yams-- and, of course, a cold Red Stripe, the pride of Jamaica!

Ting is also a local's favorite-- of the non-alcoholic variety!
Will I be safe on Jamaica, you wonder?
Absolutely!
You can easily rent a car and drive yourself to these attractions (bobsledding is only about 1 hour from Montego Bay on the new highway) as well as more far flung beaches like Negril on the western shore (home to a famous Margaritaville). With typical smart precautions (it is recommended to drive in daylight hours and circumvent the capital Kingston), you are safe to self-drive the island.

But if you'd rather have the ease of a guide, check out Island Routes! http://www.islandroutes.com/tours/jamaica.cfm?event=ehTours.dspIndex&cid=5

Jamaica is a sure-fire cure to the snowy winter blues. Itching to go? Let me help:
Melanie at 609 923 0304

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